The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-22


pavement would have been recognized
half mile away, so acute was her hear
ing. The night wore on; the gaslights
flickered down the long street like torch
light procession; tho trucks had long
since ceased their rumble over the cob.
blestoues. Eight, Q, 10 o'clock came
and the bell was not rung. The air was
getting chilly. Mrs. Rogers wrapped a
shawl around her shoulders and fell
asleep from utter WEAKNESS.
At about $50 o'clock a man Of 80
years had stopped at candy stand at
the corner of Ann street and Park row
and bought five round pieces OF candy
called jackson balls. At stand near
the big bridge four big blushing peaches
were placed in paper bag and handed
to him. While standing in front of the
Coroncrs' Office waiting for truck to
pass by, very solid hand came down
upon his shoulder and hearty voice sa-
lutcd him with:
"IIello, Billy, old boy! How in thun-
der are you? Haven't seen you in a
dogs age. Where do you keep yourseli
nowadays9 Married, CHI! and got two
little children! Well, well, how patcr-
nal you do look! Let's go and have
drink. You amt Prohibitionist, hope9'
"No, but"
ooh, never mind the butts. A glass
of sherry won't hurt YOU"
And, yielding to the persuasion of his
old friend, Tom Barker, who had been
over on the Pacific slope for the past
five years, Billy went into the saloon and
plighted his friendship in glass of
yellow wine. Now, it happened that
Billy had been very dissipated fellow
before his marriage. He had gone on
sprees for week at a time, but during
the five years of his welded life not a
drop of liquor had passed his lips. That
one glass of wine fired his pulses with
the old intoxicating glow. The wistful
faces of his children and the horrible
suspense of his wife were forgotten in
the magic spell. The two men drank
deep, drank oft. They visited all their old
time resorts, and became very effusive and
affectionate in a maudlin way. At
o'clock they were in Harlem saloon,
treating all hands and shouting in such
a disorderly way that the saloon keeper
was obliged to put them out upon the
sidewalk. Then they got on a Third
avenue elevated train and rode to the
Battery. Here the conductor lugged
both the men out on the platform while
they sang duet in very inarticulate
tones about how they marched through
Georgia, while the conductor expressed
his belief that neither of them had been
outside the Fourth ward in his life.
Daybreak found them on Twenty-third
street in very sorry plight. Tom stood
with his feet wide apart and leaning
against lamppost. Billy stood in front
of him with his forefnger raised,
LES play SHINY SCI, Tom. VII bt
SCI, I'll be t'ch'r. Ar y on t. me, o
fer?"
Tom blinked spasmodically and
swayed from side to side like hen on ,
clothes line in windy day. His hal
fell off and rolled into the gutter. Ton
held up his right hand.
"Tch'r, kin 1 G. out3'
"Wha' for2'
"IIat fell out w'nd'r."
"Yc'l both av ycz go aforo tn Jcdg'
in tn mornin' av yez don't move on,
said burly policeman, who struck botf
men some smart blows across the bacI
with his club and pushed them towar(
Broadway. At o'clock they wcr,
sleeping off the effects Of the spree in
Bowcry lodging house.
When Billy awoke at 6 o'clock tina
evening with headache that threatened
to crack his skull and throat which
seemed to be lined with lime he wa
overcome with remorsc. He knew tina
his children would be waiting for him a
the foot of the stairs. In fancy he coult
see Bculah's wistful blue eyes scannin.
every face as it passed by. He would
have started Immediately, filled as h,
was with contrition, but Tom persuaded
him to have one moro parting drink
This drink was supplemented with an
other. Then Tom suggested that Bill,
should try shandygaff To put
whiskey sour and shandygaff into jux
Imposition usually is disastrous as wa
proved in this case. Toms fertile brail
suggested other liquid mixtures, and tn
spree continued all day, and ended il
both men being locked up in the Tombs
The next morning Tom and Bill,
were brought before Judge Duffy, VIII
delivered little lecture on the evils o
intemperancc, advised Billy to go hom
to his wife and children, and discharge,
them. Billy felt the disgrace of his ar
rest very keenly, but Tom cheered hir
with the remark that no one had recop
nizcd him. Billy wanted to start fo
home Immediately, but Tom per suade
, him to go to hotel, from whence hi
clothes were sent out to b
cleaned and pressed, his hig
hat was neatly blocked, and hi
face shaved. While waiting for hi
clothes Billy chewed cloves and othe
aromatic spices all day for prudentl'
, reasons.
At 5 o'clock Billy came out of the he